Dorchester 2 growth curbed
6-month moratorium aids comprehensive plan update
ST. GEORGE — Responding to complaints of overcrowded roads and schools around Summerville, Dorchester County Council put the brakes on growth Monday.
Council approved a six-month moratorium on new residential developments in Dorchester District 2. It takes effect today and expires in the middle of June.
The moratorium does not apply to District 4, which includes the more-rural part of the county west of Summerville. It also would not affect about 4,200 building permits that already have been approved.
The moratorium is intended to stop any new developments of at least 10 lots until the county updates its comprehensive plan, which guides what is built and where. Much of the county west of Summerville has no zoning controls.
The county also is working on an ordinance that would keep council from approving a new neighborhood if roads and schools could not handle the extra people.
Monday's vote on the moratorium was 6-1. Planning Committee Chairman Chris Murphy voted against it. Murphy has previously said it's a bad idea to enact a moratorium during a significant slowdown in the housing market.
The moratorium also does not include multifamily projects. Councilman Jamie Feltner proposed amending the moratorium to include new apartments and condominiums. But he withdrew the motion after learning it would delay the moratorium another month while new language was drafted.
Summerville passed a 90-day moratorium on new developments in October. Several Town Council members said they planned to extend the town's moratorium to coincide with the county's.
Reach Dave Munday at 745-5862 or dmunday@postand courier.com.
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This article has 1 comment(s)
Posted by Elvitta on December 11, 2007 at 4:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)
"The county also is working on an ordinance that would keep council from approving a new neighborhood if roads and schools could not handle the extra people."
Can you believe that county council would approve all of these subdivisions for years without thinking of the additional children and traffic they would bring? How many councilmen are associated with builders and/or real estate developers?
How builders could be granted permission to build these subdivisions, without including in the plan the builders' contribution to the community schools, roads, green space, etc?! Builders should be charge a few thousand dollars per house to go towards schools, roads, green space, etc. Because this is a desirable area (Dorchester District 2 schools) builders are making a profit while we the tax payers are paying the bill for all the additional people the builders are making their money on. Most of these builders don’t even live in Summerville or South Carolina for that matter!
One more thing. I feel that our children are starting to suffer in the schools because of the overcrowding. Even the new schools built aren't enough...we need more. Dorchester District 2 schools had a reputation of being the top in the lowcountry. A desirable place to raise your children. I am afraid this is going to backfire.
Thank you for this outlet to vent.